The treatment should be mainly based on comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine treatment, including bed rest, traction, oral Chinese medicine, massage, etc.
Doctor, can traditional Chinese medicine completely cure lumbar disc herniation? "Ms. Zhou, 36, asked at the clinic. Ms. Zhou has experienced back pain and radiating pain and numbness in the outer side of her left thigh and lower leg in the past month. After examination, she was diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation (hereinafter referred to as lumbar disc herniation). After resting and taking medication, the effect on Ms. Zhao was not significant, and some hospitals suggested that she undergo surgery altogether. She came to the traditional Chinese medicine hospital hoping to adopt traditional Chinese medicine therapy. According to her condition, the doctor gave her comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine therapy, and after 3 weeks, the symptoms completely disappeared. Ma Hongwei, director of the Department of Orthopedics at Ningxia Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Research Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, believes that once the intervertebral disc protrudes, it is difficult to return to its original position. The purpose of traditional Chinese medicine treatment is to make it "harmoniously coexist" with the human body.
Why does the lumbar disc protrude
The intervertebral disc is like an elastic "washer" between two vertebrae. The edge of this "washer" is surrounded by a fibrous ring, and in the middle is a soft collagen called the nucleus pulposus, which is separated from the vertebral body by only a thin layer of cartilage plate above and below. When the outer fibrous ring is damaged due to external forces, chronic strain, or other reasons, some of the nucleus pulposus tissue will break through the constraints of the fibrous ring and protrude from the weak points, which is called lumbar disc herniation. The protruding nucleus pulposus can cause inflammatory stimulation or mechanical compression of the sinus vertebral nerves that innervate the lumbar spine and the sciatic nerve roots that innervate the lower limbs, leading to a series of symptoms such as lower back and leg pain.
Ma Hongwei explained that intervertebral discs have elasticity, can cushion pressure, have the function of bearing head weight, stabilizing the spine, and have certain motor functions. The normal intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus contains 80% water, while the annulus fibrosus contains 65% water. As age increases, the water content gradually decreases, causing the intervertebral disc to lose elasticity and toughness, making it prone to degeneration. Intervertebral disc herniation occurs on the basis of degeneration, and often occurs in the lumbar space between L4-L5 and L5 to S1 in the lower lumbar spine, where the lumbar spine experiences the greatest and most concentrated stress.
Eliminating symptoms is equivalent to curing
Ma Hongwei introduced that from the CT imaging changes of a large number of clinical cases, although conservative treatment can eliminate symptoms and signs and achieve clinical recovery standards, it cannot fundamentally eliminate intervertebral disc herniation, and the protrusion still exists. This is because once the intervertebral disc ruptures and protrudes, the intervertebral space becomes narrower than before, and the protrusion adheres to the surrounding area, making it difficult to return to the original space. But this does not mean that conservative treatment has little effect. In fact, the human body has a strong ability to self repair. When the intervertebral disc is damaged, various treatment methods are nothing but to help it repair as soon as possible, so that the spine can reach a new state of balance.
Clinical observations have found that many patients with imaging manifestations of protrusion or bulging have no obvious lower back or leg pain, or only mild discomfort symptoms, indicating that people and intervertebral disc herniation can often "coexist harmoniously". Some patients, although not particularly severe, have obvious symptoms of lower back and leg pain, which seriously affects their quality of life. What is going on? Research has found that mild nerve root compression alone does not cause significant pain, but prominent nucleus pulposus can induce immune and inflammatory responses, suggesting that pain symptoms are closely related to the severity of inflammation in individuals.
Therefore, patients do not need to overly worry about whether the protrusion has been completely eliminated or returned. As long as active and formal treatment is given, inflammation will subside, symptoms will naturally disappear, and the vast majority of herniated intervertebral discs can coexist harmoniously with people. Some people may say that surgical treatment is better and can completely cure the condition. In fact, even if surgery is performed, only a portion of the protruding intervertebral disc tissue can be removed, and it is impossible to completely remove it. When the lumbar spine is under stress after surgery, the remaining intervertebral discs may still protrude, causing recurrence. Only a very small number of cases where conservative treatment is ineffective or the nucleus pulposus falls into the spinal canal are considered for surgical treatment.
Traditional Chinese Medicine has wonderful methods for regulating and treating diseases
The internal cause of this disease is congenital kidney qi deficiency, while the external causes include repeated trauma, chronic strain, and invasion of wind, cold, and dampness pathogens. The main pathogenesis is kidney deficiency and instability, obstruction of meridians by pathogenic factors, qi stagnation and blood stasis, and disharmony between the body and defense, resulting in pain caused by obstruction of the waist, legs, muscles, and meridians. Ma Hongwei believes that comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine treatment should be the main approach, including bed rest, traction, oral Chinese medicine, massage, etc.
Oral administration of traditional Chinese medicine
For qi stagnation and blood stasis type, the treatment should promote qi circulation and blood circulation, soothe the liver and unblock the meridians. The formula should be modified with Fuyuan Huoxue Tang. For the type of cold dampness obstruction, the treatment should be to dispel cold dampness, warm meridians, and unblock collaterals. The formula should be modified with Ganjiang Lingzhu Tang. For the damp heat obstruction type, the treatment should be to clear heat and remove dampness, unblock meridians and relieve pain. The formula should be modified with Simiao Powder. For liver and kidney deficiency type, it is advisable to tonify the kidneys and nourish essence, strengthen muscles and bones. For those with yang deficiency, the main formula should be modified with Right Return Pill, and for those with yin deficiency, the main formula should be modified with Left Return Pill. The above prescriptions should be taken under the guidance of a professional traditional Chinese medicine practitioner.
Tuina massage for muscle management
Usually, massage techniques are used, such as kneading, pinching, rolling, and pushing along the meridians, to relax the muscles in the waist and legs, relieve muscle spasms, unblock the meridians, and promote blood circulation; Then, using the spinal thrusting method, joint gaps can be adjusted, nerve root adhesions can be released, and the position relationship between nerve roots and protruding intervertebral discs can be improved.
Patients can also massage the following acupoints on their own: Shenshu (located at the waist, 1.5 inches below the spinous process of the second lumbar vertebra), Yaoyangguan (located at the waist, in the depression below the spinous process of the fourth lumbar vertebra), Weizhong (located at the midpoint of the popliteal fossa, between the biceps femoris tendon and semitendinosus tendon), Yanglingquan (located on the outer side of the calf, in the depression below the small head of the fibula), Sanyinjiao (located on the inner side of the calf, 3 inches above the ankle apex of the foot, behind the inner edge of the tibia), Kunlun (located at the midpoint depression between the outer ankle apex and the Achilles tendon on the outer side of the ankle), etc. The finger massage method is about 2-3 minutes per acupoint, 1-2 times a day.
In addition, moxa sticks can be used to warm the above acupoints until the skin appears red. It can have the effects of tonifying the kidneys, nourishing essence, dispelling wind and dampness, and activating meridians and collaterals.
Functional exercise
Functional exercise, also known as exercise therapy. Ma Hongwei emphasized that traditional Chinese medicine treatment emphasizes a holistic concept, believing that the human body is a unified organic whole, and that full body exercise and waist and back muscle exercise are equally important in order to better promote recovery. Exercise therapy, as an integral part of the treatment and rehabilitation of lumbar protrusion, has received increasing attention. It has the functions of preventing initial onset and recurrence, alleviating pain symptoms, and preventing disease deterioration.
It is recommended to engage in moderate whole-body exercise, such as walking, jogging, swimming, practicing Tai Chi, etc., to prevent muscle atrophy. At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the exercise of the lower back muscles and lower limb muscles, and practice movements such as flying swallow water (swallow flying), five point support, straight leg lifting, and supine pedaling.
Recommended dietary therapy
Danggui Ginger Lamb Soup
Ingredients: 500g lamb, 30g Angelica sinensis, 30g ginger, 10 red dates.
Method: Wash and cut the lamb into pieces, blanch in boiling water, and drain; Wash Angelica sinensis and ginger thoroughly, and slice the ginger into slices. Put lamb, Angelica sinensis, ginger, and red dates into a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water and fry together. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim the foam after boiling, and simmer over low heat until the lamb is cooked to perfection. Drink soup and eat meat.
Effect: Lamb meat nourishes the middle and qi, Angelica sinensis replenishes blood and promotes blood circulation, ginger relieves exterior coldness, jujube nourishes qi and blood, combined with the effects of warming meridians and dispelling coldness, promoting blood circulation and relieving pain, suitable for patients with cold dampness obstruction type lumbar protrusion syndrome.
Eucommia ulmoides Walnut Pig Kidney Soup
Ingredients: 2 pig kidneys, 30g Eucommia ulmoides, 30g walnut meat.
Method: Cut open the middle of the pig kidney, peel off the white fascia, and rinse with clean water. Wash Eucommia ulmoides and walnut meat separately with clean water, put them together with pig kidneys in a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 1 hour, season and eat.
Effect: Pig kidney tonifies kidney and diuresis, Eucommia ulmoides strengthens muscles and bones, walnut meat solidifies kidneys and nourishes qi. Combined use has the effects of nourishing qi and kidney, strengthening waist and promoting yang, suitable for liver and kidney deficiency type of lumbar protrusion syndrome.
Remember these 6 points for prevention
Suffering from lumbar protrusion does not require fear or anxiety. This disease is preventable and treatable, with a good prognosis. Here, Ma Hongwei puts forward 6 suggestions.
① Reduce lumbar sprains. In daily life, it is not advisable to suddenly turn around or bend over. The movements should be slow, and the posture for lifting heavy objects should be correct. The force should not be concentrated entirely on the waist.
② Be careful of acute injuries to the waist, such as heavy objects, car accidents, and falls, to prevent damage to the intervertebral disc tissue.
③ Avoid wind and cold invasion. Wind is the root of all diseases. Once wind evil invades the waist, it can cause muscle spasms, blood stasis, and blocked meridians, which can easily trigger or worsen symptoms. Pay attention to keeping your waist warm when the temperature drops.
④ Don't sit for long periods of time. Sitting for a long time can damage the flesh and even the intervertebral disc. Sitting posture should be upright, advocating "sitting like a clock" and avoiding bad postures such as bowing, bending, hunchback, etc. At the same time, it is not advisable to stand for long periods of time, as it is also detrimental to the lumbar spine.
⑤ Actively engage in fitness and choose appropriate exercise methods. Suffering from lumbar protrusion syndrome, the main focus should be on strengthening the function of the lower back muscles through exercise. Some people choose incorrect ways to exercise their abdominal muscles, such as excessive supine and sitting exercises, which can easily lead to symptom recurrence.
⑥ Pay attention to preventing kidney deficiency, avoiding overwork, excessive indulgence, vigorous exercise, etc.